As the rain seems to fall seemingly endlessly, with only brief glimpses of the Sun, one can sometimes feel a little melancholy.
If you have recently lost a loved one, you may take comfort in the
thought that they still linger nearby. When you think of them, it means that
they are with you. I have begun reading to my daughter and mother for a few
minutes each day. Think of something that you liked to do together, and
continue this practise, keeping your loved one in mind. They wish to remain as
connected with you, as you do with them.
I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to lose a loved one and not
believe in a spiritual world,
In Luke 4, verse 43 we
read: "but he said to them, 'I must preach the good
news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this
purpose'". The Christ did not come just to save us
from our sins, but to remind us that there is, in fact, a heavenly realm of
angels and spiritual beings. Our preoccupation with materialism has caused us
to forget where we came from, and where we will one day return. We need only to
look around in nature or up at the stars to help us remember.
Many therapists recommend that people reconnect with nature, even if
only for 15 minutes a day, so that we may hopefully begin again to feel a sense
of wonder and mystery. Forest bathing is promoted in countries like South Korea,
Japan, the US and Canada.
Gazing at the stars can also foster a sense of wonder, or perhaps tickle
a long-buried memory of where we came from.
The spectacular planetary alignments in 2025 and
2026 are a call from the cosmos itself, for harmony and cooperation between
people and countries. They are also a call for re-connection between human
beings and the heavens.
The wonderful thing
about our church community is that we know we all carry heavy burdens, due to
the pressures of everyday life – economic, physical, emotional and spiritual. I
know that I will find support and understanding, and beyond that, the space to
flutter my wings as I continue to practise how to fly. As well, there is the
Sacrament of Consultation – not a confession per se – but a laying down of a
burden and giving it to God, or seeking a way forward.
When we strive to see
the Christ in the person standing in front of us, we can strive for mutual
understanding. In other words, meet each other in the middle. To put aside our
subjectiveness for a moment and ask ourselves, what is it that the person
across from me is carrying? This striving for mutual understanding must begin
in the community where we live, for with mutual understanding there can be
compassion, which can lead to cooperation. Thinking, feeling and willing.
Sparky
